Reclassifying a Rifle to Pistol

[DoubleDuty]

When you buy a bare receiver through an FFL, it's listed, or classified as "other" on the paperwork, the part that the ATF classifies as a "receiver".

Here's something that confuses me, is how is an 80% receiver classified as a rifle or pistol? If you do the final machine work to turn it into a working firearm, you can build it either way. So what legally makes it a pistol, or a rifle?

What you do with it makes it one or the other. The NFA is a farce that we have to work on getting rid of.

 

[Axxe55]

What you do with it makes it one or the other. The NFA is a farce that we have to work on getting rid of.

I don't disagree with that in the least, but until such time, we do still have to play by their rules. Sad, but true.

 

[Renegade]

So, I have a thing for short firearms. Don't know why but I do.

I also have a lathe and the abilities to use it.

I ALSO have a R700 in .243 that I don't think I'm gonna do anything with and am seriously considering building a bolt action pistol in 7mm08 or some such. Would be used for fun and possibly hunting.

Does anyone on here know how/where to send this to have it reclassified as a pistol, what paperwork I need to look at and the approximate costs associated with doing it?
Thank you in advance for any help.

There is no such place that reclassifies firearms.

Either Tax Stamp or buying a new virgin receiver are your choices.

 

[Coop45]

But, but, but what if the receiver self identifies as a pistol and it's chosen pronouns are short and loud?

 

[Bully]

Type 07 FFL's (manufacturing license) have the ability to reclassify.
I've already reached out to one that, for tax purposes, is not willing to take the job.

Most likely I will simply buy a bare receiver (if Remington can ever get their act together) but still want to keep all options open and understand the process by which it can be done.

 

[Txhillbilly]

Type 07 FFL's (manufacturing license) have the ability to reclassify.
I've already reached out to one that, for tax purposes, is not willing to take the job.

Most likely I will simply buy a bare receiver (if Remington can ever get their act together) but still want to keep all options open and understand the process by which it can be done.

There are so many better options better than a Remington action. By the time you buy an action and have it timed & trued, you only a couple $$$ from a Custom action that is ready out of the box.

 

[Bully]

There are so many better options better than a Remington action. By the time you buy an action and have it timed & trued, you only a couple $$$ from a Custom action that is ready out of the box.

As per my OP, I have a lathe...

 

[Renegade]

Type 07 FFL's (manufacturing license) have the ability to reclassify.

No they cannot. I am an 07/02.

There is no such place that reclassifies firearms.

 

[grumper]

If 'reclassify' means turning your gun into a machinegun, destructive device, or short bbl rifle. Yes a manufacturer could do that for you.

But you'll never be able to own the MG, and to get possession of the other types of firearm will cost you $200, same as if you made it into a SBR yourself in the first place.

 

[Axxe55]

It's actually quite simple and can be done with minimal hassle.

First you have a gender study done for the rifle. The study will show that the rifle wants to be identified as a pistol. Then using a surgical procedure, have the offending long rifle barrel removed, then install a much nicer, kinder and shorter less offensive pistol barrel, and now the "new" pistol is much more comfortable and adjusted to it's new role in life as pistol.

Final step is to call the ATF and explain what you have done. They will be very accommodating and quite understanding of what you have done.

Problem solved.

 

[Bully]

No they cannot. I am an 07/02.

There is no such place that reclassifies firearms.

Thank you.
You are confirming what I found out this morning.
I appreciate you weighing in.

 

[Coop45]

It's actually quite simple and can be done with minimal hassle.

First you have a gender study done for the rifle. The study will show that the rifle wants to be identified as a pistol. Then using a surgical procedure, have the offending long rifle barrel removed, then install a much nicer, kinder and shorter less offensive pistol barrel, and now the "new" pistol is much more comfortable and adjusted to it's new role in life as pistol.

Final step is to call the ATF and explain what you have done. They will be very accommodating and quite understanding of what you have done.

Problem solved.

And name it Catilyn

 

[benenglish]

@benenglish, if anybody, would know.

I'll comment when I get home to a proper keyboard.

 

[benenglish]

You've gotten all the proper answers already in this thread but I do have a few comments.

I am hoping to reclassify it as a pistol so that I don't need a stamp.
It's an action that was formerly a rifle from the factory.

Not possible.

You are aware that fireball & report my be the WTF moment!

There's a reason that the single-shot bolt pistols used for IHMSA competition were nicknamed "loudenboomers". Hell, I watched one guy at the Texas state champs back in the 1980s shooting a .284. After 20 shots, the grass in front of his shooting position was laid down flat and the dry ground had all the surface dust removed. Yeah, they tend to have a fireball and the report is better thought of as concussion, the sort you feel in the chest.

I'd think it could very similar to a T/C Contender...

I know you're talking about reloading but invoking the Contender is important in these cases from a legal viewpoint. It was the T/C Contender case that established that you could go back and forth between rifle and pistol on the same receiver without fearing some sort of prosecution for "constructive possession" (or some such nonsense) of an unregistered short-barrelled rifle.

Anyone with any interest in all the possible legal iterations that start with a pistol receiver should read about that case.

In the case of the OP, I’d recommend getting a unbuilt receiver/action or one that was originally a pistol to keep it simple.

Agreed.

...there's no inexpensive way to change that classification except destroying the receiver in the ATF approved manner, filling in the missing section, and then welding it back together.

While that's possible, I wouldn't call it "inexpensive." I should have known your mind could conceive of this sort of edge case possibility. Your NFA experience is showing.

By the time you buy an action and have it timed & trued, you only a couple $$$ from a Custom action that is ready out of the box.

As per my OP, I have a lathe...

Blueprinting an action is a task for wizards of machining and not mere mortals. If you have experience with it and want to take on a Remington action, my hat is off to you. If you want to just build a good 7-08 pistol without much hassle, I think you'd be dollars and hours ahead to sell your .243 and put that money toward a custom action. There are many to choose from.

I understand the desire to use what you already own; I have 5 or 6 Remington XPs and 4 Wichita actions. I'm sure that if I ever complete another project pistol, I'll use something I already own. But I'm not starting with a less-than-excellent rifle and all the legal intricacies that entails, either.

 

[Bully]

Blueprinting an action is a task for wizards of machining and not mere mortals. If you have experience with it and want to take on a Remington action, my hat is off to you. If you want to just build a good 7-08 pistol without much hassle, I think you'd be dollars and hours ahead to sell your .243 and put that money toward a custom action. There are many to choose from.

Thank you for your answers. I truly appreciate you taking the time to reply so completely.

I am far from a wizard, just a hairdresser that knows how to use his lathe for certain tasks. Blueprinting an action is one of those tasks. I've built several for myself and have helped a few friends out as well. So I'm not at all intimidated by the thought of pulling the rifle apart and making it right.

I will be looking for a new, bare receiver. No biggie. Saves me tearing this rifle apart.

Thanks again for all the answers on here.

 

[m4colt]

Simple Answer.

Once a rifle, always a rifle. Only option is a tax stamp to classify as an SBR.

 

[ktaylor966]

So, I have a thing for short firearms. Don't know why but I do.

I also have a lathe and the abilities to use it.

I ALSO have a R700 in .243 that I don't think I'm gonna do anything with and am seriously considering building a bolt action pistol in 7mm08 or some such. Would be used for fun and possibly hunting.

Does anyone on here know how/where to send this to have it reclassified as a pistol, what paperwork I need to look at and the approximate costs associated with doing it?
Thank you in advance for any help.

I was preemptive on the ATF getting cute with my AR pistols. I went to their eforms website (simply google ATF eform) and registered both of these pistols as SBR's, paid the tax stamp online and waited. Tax stamps arrived via EMAIL (believe it or not they don't send them via us mail any longer) in three months.
It's a very simple process and you can have your FFL dealer look over your shoulder while you're filling our the form, that's what mine did, to avoid errors which spells delays.

 

[Patience0830]

If it was sold as a rifle, not to my knowledge. It is forever a rifle.

Sent by an idjit coffeeholic from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Yes
May be some exceptions like Contenders and Encores and the new law on AR's, if there is any, I am unfamiliar with.

 

[Renegade]

Simple Answer.

Once a rifle, always a rifle. Only option is a tax stamp to classify as an SBR.

This ended in 1992 with the Thompson-Center Arms Case.

 

[Charlie]

I have a question regarding something I've been told. You folks may have already addressed this but if so, I didn't see it in these four pages. I have a friend that bought five receivers that were new, no internals, and had never been made into pistols or rifles. He indicated that one could make a pistol or a rifle, but once it is a legitimate rifle (stock and 16" barrel) it cannot be redone into a pistol again. Is that correct Renegade? The other question I have is if someone made a pistol initially from one of these receivers, it could be made into a rifle legally at a later date with a butt stock and a 16" barrel but could never be a pistol again. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm not trying to argue or take a stand, etc. I just would like to hear the answer from someone, preferably an FFL.